In a game that will play into the seedings at the OHSAA DVII Van Wert (Group G) Boys Basketball District Draw saw a scoring run by visiting Ottoville proved to be the difference in the Putnam County League battle at Continental. The Big Green came in ranked 74 in the lasted MAXPrep DVII poll while the Pirates were ranked 87. The Big Green put together an 11 point run spanning the end of the first half and continuing into the second half. After witnessing a number of Continental students pick up “All A” awards it was the Pirates who found the basket early. Tyson Clementz and Brady Thomsen both made baskets to put the Pirates up 4-0. A 3 by the Big Green made it a 1 point game. Monty Rayle hit a 3 to put the Pirates back up by 4, 7-3. A Big Green free throw and a basket closed the Pirate lead to 1, 7-6. Thomsen put in a basket to put the Pirates back up by 3, 9-6. A pair of Big Green free throws and a basket sandwiched between Thomsen’s 3rd basket of the quarter put the Pirates up 11-10. A Rayle 3 put the Pirates back up by 4, 14-10. The Big Green put in a pair of baskets to even the score at 14 after 1. Nolan Cordes and Rayle both made baskets to put the Pirates up by 4. 18-14. A pair of Big Green free throws cut the Pirate lead to 2, 18-16. A pair of Pirate 3s, one each by Rayle and Quinn Tegenkamp, put the Pirates up by 8, 24-16. Another pair of Big Green free throws put the score at 24-18 Pirates. Cordes hit a 3 and the Pirates were up by 9 27-18. The Big Green would get a basket and a pair of free throws to make it 27-22. Cordes would hit a pair of free throws to expand the Pirate lead by 7 29-22. Big Green Senior Ashton Miller put in the final 6 points of the half, the last 2 on a crazy falling down scoop shot, that put his first half point total at 24. Pirates 29-28 at half.
The Pirates made some defensive adjustments and held Miller to 8 points in the second half. The Big Green put in the first 5 points of the second half to take a 33-29 lead. The Big Green run would stop when Rayle would make a free throw Big Green 33-30. A Big Green basket was matched with a pair of Collin Hammond free throws. Big Green 35-32. A Big Green 3 put them up 38-32. The Pirates would cut the lead to 3 with a basket from Tegenkamp and a Rayle free throw. Big Green 38-32. The Big Green would convert 4 free throws and a basket to take a 44-35 lead into the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter had the Pirates making stops on the defensive end holding the Big Green to 7 points but the Pirates could not convert on the offensive end as they put in 7 on a Thomsen basket, a Cordes 3 and a pair of Rayle free throws. Big Green 51-42 final.
Monty Rayle led the Pirates with 15 points. Nolan Cordes added 10 points. Brady Thomsen put in 8. Quinn Tegenkamp scored 5. Collin Hammond and Tyson Clementz both scored 2. The Pirates made six 3s, with Rayle making 3, Cordes 2, and Tegenkamp 1. The Big Green made 2. The Pirates were 8-10 from the line while the Big Green were 17-27. Continental falls to 3-14 (1-3) and will take on Montpelier on Saturday. Ottoville improves to 5-15 (2-3 PCL).
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
